1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to bullet resistant apparatus for vehicle door windows and, more particularly, to bracket apparatus for supporting a transparent bullet resistant panel for a vehicle door having no upper window frame.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,271,311, the inventor of which is the inventor herein, describes removable bulletproof apparatus for vehicles, and the door for the vehicle includes a frame around the window. A transparent panel is secured to the door at the frame around the window. A flexible curtain extends downwardly over the door beneath the window. Several different embodiments of structural elements for holding the transparent panel are disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,035 is a continuation-in-part of the '311 patent. Substantially the same structure with respect to the door is disclosed. Again, the vehicle door includes a frame around the window!, and the transparent bulletproof or bullet resistant panel is secured by structural elements disposed in the window frame of the vehicle door.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,413,026 is a division of the '035 patent, and discloses substantially the same structural elements with respect to the door, the door window, and the frame of the vehicle door about the window.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,438,908 comprises a division of the '035 patent, and accordingly discloses substantially the same structural elements.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,855,898 (McDonald) discloses an armored vehicle which includes a door, a window in the door, and the elements for essentially armoring the vehicle, including the door. The door includes a frame about the window.
There are many vehicles which include doors having no frames about the upper portions of the windows. The doors include windows extending upwardly from the doors and no frames for supporting the windows above the doors. Accordingly, apparatus disclosed in the above patents are not relevant or applicable to such vehicles windows.
The apparatus of the present invention discloses support structure for supporting a transparent, bullet resistant panel for vehicle windows in which the doors have no upper window frames above the doors.